Forearm and handguard protector



Filed May 3, 1951 INVENTOR. Rene R. Studlev JEN} Patented Apr. 13, 1 954FOREARM AND HANDGUARD PROTECTOR Ren R. Studler, Washington, D. 0.,assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretaryof the Army Application May 3, 1951, Serial No. 224,437

2 Claims. (Cl. 4271) (Granted'under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952),

see. 266) The invention described in the specification and claims may bemanufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposesWithout the payment of any royalty thereon.

The present invention relates generally to a device to be adapted tosmall arms of the type equipped with forearmsor handguards of wood orother nonmetallic material.

The use of wood handguards in small arms such as rifles, to protect theuser from the metallic parts of the firearm which become extremely notfrom continued use over extended periods of time, is well known. Suchhandguards are provided in addition to the well known wood stock.

In dry climates the wood parts are apt to dry out and shrink. Thisdrying out may also be caused by th heat generated by firing of thepiece. In order to keep the wood parts in condition, they areoccasionallysoaked in oil, usually raw linseed. The wood absorbs theoil, and when the piece is fired for any length of time, this oil willcome into contact with the barrel and other hot metal parts. This, inaddition to drying out the wood generates considerable smoke which maybecome objectionable to the user.

An object of this invention is the provision of means to inhibit to alarge extent the drying out of the wood parts and to prevent the oilwith which the wood is impregnated from burning and smoking.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a heat reflectingand insulating shield between the wood parts and the heated metal parts,(1) to prevent the oil in the wood from coming in contact with the metalparts, (2) to hold down the temperature of the wood, and (3) to providea thermal conductive path to the cooler metal parts and to theatmosphere to more quickly dissipate the heat generated by constantfiring of the weapon.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a layer ofmaterial impervious to oil placed between the wood and the metal partsin such a manner that the oil will be prevented from comin in contactwith the hot metal parts.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, andin which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughoutthe same:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the forward portion of a rifle withsome parts in elevation, and showing the shields in place.

2 Fig. 2 is an exploded isometric view of the shields.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on line 4'4 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, I is the barrel of the firearm, 2 is the gascylinder and 3 represents a cylindrical liner for accommodating the gascylinder piston operating rod mechanism (not shown). Located rearwardlyof the barrel is compartment 4 for receiving the firing mechanism (notshown). Also located in the lower portion of receiver a are follower arm5 and follower rod 6 actuable with the gas cylinder operating rod whenthe gun is fired.

The wood parts of the rifle comprise a front handguard l shaped to forman inverted U which fits about and conceals the barrel and substantiallyall except the lower quarter segment of cylindrical liner 3, as clearlyshown in Fig. 4. Rear handguard 8 is also an inverted U section and isdisposed rearwardly of and in axial alignment with the front handguard1, to enshroud the rear section of the barrel, one leg being shorterthan the other for a portion of its length to form. a recess toaccommodate operating rod [0. The wood stock 9 positioned about the rearlower section of the cylindrical liner 3 and extending rearwardly ofreceiver 4 is U shaped for a substantial part of its length, the legs ofsaid U being in vertical alignment-with legs of rear guard 11, bothmembers forming an ellipse in transverse cross section with the majoraxis vertical, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

Shields H, I 2 and I3, as illustrated in Fig. 2 are contoured to conformto the inner surface configuration of wood parts I, 8 and 9respectively, and are inserted between the wood part and the metal. Theshields are intimately lbonded in any convenient manner to the woodparts and a gap or air space M is provided between each liner and itscorresponding metal part. In addition, liner I! is recessed at the topto accommodate one end of liner l2 with a tight fit to effectively forma continuous conductive path and shield for handguards I and 8.

One form of the invention contemplates making the shields of metalhaving high reflecting properties and high thermal conductivity, as forexample aluminum. Some of the heat that is generated in firing will bereflected back to the barrel. However, since both the upper and lowerliners provide an efiective conductive path to the cooler parts of theWeapon, as for example the metal parts disposed in receiver 4, the heatwill travel this path and will be more readily dissipated by the coolerparts and by the surrounding atmosphere. Thus it is obvious that thewood parts will remain relatively cool, the drying out process will beslowed down considerably, and the oil will be prevented from coming incontact with the hot metal parts.

Another modification envisages the use of inorganic heat insulatingshields such as asbestos sheathing or fiber glass pressed to conform tothe required shape as shown in Fig. 2.

A third modification contemplates the use of thermo-setting plasticssuch as Bakelite or rubber compositions which are good heat insulators.

A fourth modification contemplates the use of any material which isimpervious to oil to prevent the oil from coming in contact "with thehot metal parts of the gun, to thereby inhibit the generation ofobjectionable smoke caused by burning of the oil.

The latter three modifications are used for the spirit-and scope of theinvention as defined in the followingv claims.

Iclaim:

1. In a small arm weapon having a wood stock, ametal barrel and metalreceiver parts, a first wood handguard enshrouding the anterior half ofsaid barrel, a second wood handguard enshrouding a posterior portion ofsaid barrel, and

first, second and third shields formed of metal having high reflectiveand high thermal conductive properties interposed between said woodstock, said first handguard, and said second handguard respectively, andthe metallic parts of said weapon, said second and third shields beingjoined together to provide a continuous thermal conductive path to thecooler metallic parts of said weapon and in intimate contact with theentire inner surface of its respective wood part.

2. In a small arm weapon having a receiver, a barrel secured to theforward end of said receiver, a gas cylinder liner disposed below saidbarrel and having its longitudinal axis in the same vertical plane asthe longitudinal axis of said barrel, a u-shaped wood stock embracing aportion of said cylinder liner and forming a part of said receiver, aninverted U-shaped wood handguard enshrouding a portion of said barreland having the legs of said handguard in vertical alignment with theforward portion of the legs of said wood stock, a second invertedU-shaped wood handguard enshrouding said barrel immediately forward ofsaid first handguard, a first insulating shieldof metal having highreflective and high thermal conductive properties interposed betweensaid wood stockiand said cylinder liner, a second insulating shield ofmetal having high reflective and high thermal. conductive propertiesinterposedbetween said first hand guard and said barrel, and .a thirdinsulating shield of metal havinghigh reflective and high thermalconductive properties interposed between said barrel and said secondhandguard, each said shield being in intimate contact with the entireinner surface of its respective wood part.

References Cited" in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

